Este lombo de porco recheado é a estrela de qualquer almoço de domingo. A carne suculenta, especialmente ao usar o cachaço, combina na perfeição com um recheio surpreendente de maçã, aipo e amendoins, criando um equilíbrio entre o doce e o salgado. O molho, enriquecido com cerveja, adiciona uma profundidade de sabor que eleva o prato, tornando-o numa refeição memorável e reconfortante.

Ingredientes

  • 1 lombo de porco (preferencialmente cachaço, aprox. 1900 g)
  • 1 cebola pequena picada
  • 60 g de amendoins picados
  • 50 g de manteiga
  • 1 haste de aipo picada
  • 1 raminho de salsa picada
  • 1 pãozinho sem côdea cortado em cubos pequenos
  • 1 maçã reineta cortada em cubos e borrifada com sumo de 1/2 limão
  • Sal e pimenta preta moída na ocasião
  • 1 colher de café de ervas aromáticas (Margão ou similar)
  • Banha de porco q.b. (para untar e cobrir o lombo)
  • 1,5 dl de cerveja

Preparação

  1. Do lombo de porco, prefiro a parte do cachaço. É mais gorda, mais tenra e mais suculenta. O pedaço de hoje pesava 1900 gramas.
  2. Comecei por abri-lo ao meio. Rodei-o 90 graus e abri-o do meio para baixo e, depois, do meio para cima. Fiz um retângulo.
  3. Num tacho, comecei por alourar 1 cebola pequena picada e 60 gramas de amendoins, também picados, com 50 gramas de manteiga.
  4. Juntei 1 haste de aipo picada, 1 raminho de salsa picado, 1 pãozinho sem côdea cortado em pequenas cubos e 1 maçã reineta também cortada aos cubos e borrifada com o sumo de 1/2 limão.
  5. Temperei com sal, pimenta preta moída na ocasião, 1 colher de café de uma mistura de ervas aromáticas da Margão e deixei cozer até a maçã ficar macia.
  6. Coloquei este recheio sobre o lombo de porco, enrolei e atei como se fosse um paio.
  7. Untei um tabuleiro com banha de porco, coloquei o lombo de porco com umas nozes de banha de porco em cima e levei a forno previamente aquecido a 200 °C durante 20 minutos.
  8. Depois baixei a temperatura do forno para 170 °C e deixei assar durante 1 hora.
  9. Coei o molho que se formou e levei ao lume com 1,5 dl de cerveja. Retifiquei de sal e pimenta e deixei reduzir a metade.
  10. Servi o lombo de porco guarnecido com puré de maçã.

For a showstopping centrepiece that’s perfect for a family feast, here is the English version of this recipe.

Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin

This recipe transforms a simple pork roast into a spectacular dish, packed with flavour and texture. The secret lies in a wonderfully inventive stuffing that combines the sweetness of apple, the crunch of peanuts, and the aromatic notes of celery and herbs. This creates a perfect sweet-and-savoury balance against the rich, succulent pork.

The recipe wisely recommends using the pork neck (or shoulder), known in Portuguese as cachaço. This cut is more marbled with fat than a typical loin, which bastes the meat from the inside as it cooks, resulting in a much more tender and juicy roast. The method of butterflying the loin allows it to be filled evenly, ensuring every slice has a perfect spiral of the delicious stuffing. A final, simple pan gravy made with beer and the roasting juices provides the perfect finishing touch to this deeply satisfying meal.

This roast is ideal for a special Sunday lunch or a celebratory dinner. The suggested accompaniment of apple purée is a classic pairing that beautifully complements the flavours of the dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 pork loin (preferably from the neck/shoulder, approx. 1.9kg)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 60g peanuts, chopped
  • 50g butter
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
  • 1 small bread roll, crusts removed, cut into small cubes
  • 1 cooking apple (e.g., Russet or Bramley), diced and sprinkled with the juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
  • Lard, for greasing and roasting
  • 150ml beer

Method

  1. The original recipe prefers using the pork neck as it’s fattier, more tender, and juicier. The piece used weighed 1.9kg.
  2. To prepare the pork, butterfly it to create a flat, rectangular piece. Start by cutting the loin in half horizontally, but not all the way through. Open it up like a book. Then, from the centre, cut outwards towards each side, again not all the way through, to create two more flaps that you can open up to form a large rectangle.
  3. To make the stuffing, melt the 50g of butter in a pan and sauté the 1 chopped small onion and 60g of chopped peanuts until golden.
  4. Add the 1 chopped celery stalk, the chopped parsley, the cubed bread roll, and the diced apple.
  5. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the 1 tsp of mixed herbs. Let it cook until the apple has softened.
  6. Spread this stuffing mixture over the flattened pork loin, then roll it up tightly and tie it with kitchen string, like a salami or paio.
  7. Grease a roasting tin with lard. Place the pork loin in the tin, dot a few knobs of lard on top, and roast in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes.
  8. After 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 170°C and let it roast for another hour.
  9. Once cooked, remove the roast from the tin and let it rest. Strain the pan juices into a small saucepan and add the 150ml of beer. Check for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed, and let the sauce reduce by half over a medium heat.

    10. –

  10. Serve the sliced pork loin with the beer gravy and a side of apple purée.